


Laughter in the Face of Death

by misura



Category: The Unusuals
Genre: Cancer, Denial, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 19:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Delahoy brings up the brain tumor again during lunch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Laughter in the Face of Death

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mayachain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayachain/gifts).



> this is not a fic where Delahoy makes any life-changing decisions. in part because, to some degree, I just don't know what choice he's going to make in the end.
> 
> however, I do think he'd try to talk to Leo about it. because that's what partners do.

"You know," Delahoy said, "when I said I was joking about the brain tumor, I was actually joking."

Banks looked up from his menu. "As you said."

"No," Delahoy said. "I mean _that_ was the joke."

"I don't follow," Banks said, and yeah, no shit, Watson.

Delahoy tried to think of a way to put it simply, but not too simple. He didn't want to insult Banks' intelligence or anything; he just figured that hey, enough was enough. The truth would out, and all that.

"I was joking when I said I was joking."

Banks looked skeptical. "You really do have a brain tumor?"

"Yeah," Delahoy said, and he watched Banks's expression go from skeptical to 'getting it' to something that was really sort of very gay, but also kind of touching and what the hell did it matter anyway.

Anything happen, they'd just blame it on the brain tumor. Bloody thing might as well be good for _something_ , aside from further complicating his already very complicated life.

"Jesus, Eric."

"I don't think He had anything to do with it," Delahoy said. He wasn't really religious or anything, and he figured that with the way things were, there wasn't much of a chance he was going to be visiting any church any time soon either. Like, what was he going to say: thanks for the brain tumor?

"You really think I'm going to fall for the same line twice?" Banks said, which wasn't quite according to plan.

On the other hand, heck, it wasn't as if Delahoy didn't know about denial. He'd practically slept with it - and not some one-night stand type of thing, either.

"Worth a try," he said.

"Jesus." Banks shook his head. "You really _are_ an idiot."

"Know what I'd be doing differently with my life if I really had a brain tumor?"

Banks had gone back to reading the menu. Like they might suddenly have changed it since yesterday; he always ended up ordering the same anyway. "What?"

"Not a damn thing," Delahoy said.


End file.
